Electrical switch



April 6, 1948. c. A. FOX

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Nov. 3, 1944 FIG. 5

fl 0 I /g INVENTOR.

CHARLES Aom Fox BY W ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 6, 1948 ELECTRICAL SWITCH Charles Adin Fox, Oakland Village, Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application November 3, 1944, Serial No. 561,648

' '5 Claims. I (01. 200-48) .This invention relates generally to electrical switches, and more specifically to electrical switches of the disconnect type. the predominant I object of the invention being to provide an electrical switch of this type which is of such improved construction and arrangement that a 2 the insulator I. Also, the upper terminal 3 includes an elongated eye 3d which extends upwardly from the block portion 3a of said terminal, and on a leg of which the connector is mounted- The lower terminal 4 includes a block portion 4a from which an elongated eye 41) is extended in switch of extremely simple, light, and economical construction is provided which is capable of performing its intended function in a highly efficient manner, and is well able to withstand all of the mechanical abuses and bad weather conditions to which switches of this type are ordinarily subjected.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved electrical switch. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the switch illustrated in Fig. 1.

a downward direction, the connector 5 being mounted on a leg of said elongated eye 4b. The lower terminal 4 is secured to the lower portion of the insulator by a bolt 4', the head of said bolt being located outwardly of the block portion of the terminal and the shank of the bolt being ex-' tended through alined apertures formedthrough Fig. 3 is a top, plan view of the switch illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. l. I

In the drawings, wherein is shownfor purposes of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved switch generally. The switch A comprises an insulator I while preferably. though not necessarily, is of the post type. The insulator I is illustrated as having fixed to it at its approximate longitudinal center a supporting bracket 2 which is adapted to facilitate attachment of the switch to acrossarm, or other suitable supporting element (not shown).

Fixed to the insulator I, at the upper end thereof, is the upper terminal 3 of the switch, and

secured to said insulator, at its lower end, is the lower terminal 4 of the switch, said upper and lower terminals having connected to them through the instrumentality of suitable connectors 5 and 5' the incoming and outgoing lines L of the circuit with which the switch is associated. The upper terminal 3 comprises a block portion 3a from which is extended downwardly a semicircular terminal portion 3b which embraces substantially one-half of the upper end portion of the insulator I. The terminal 3 is secured to the insulator by a curved rod 6 which embraces and engages a portion of the insulator, as is shown in Fig. 1, end portions of said curved rod being extended through lugs 30 which are formed at opposite sides of the portion 3?) of the terminal, and the outer, screwthreaded end portions of said curved rod having nuts mounted thereon which engage the forward faces of said lugs 3c and draw the curved rod into clamping engagement with said block portion of said terminal and through the wall of the insulator I.

Fixed to the upper terminal 3 is the upper contact 6 of the switch A. The upper contact 8 is preferably formed from a single length of relatively heavy, resilient wire, or from suitable resilient rod material, the length. of material from which the contact is formed being provided with a vertically disposed, inverted U-shaped loop I which is arranged in contact with the forward face of the block portion 3a of the upper terminal 3, as is shown to good advantage in Fig. 1. The upper contact 6 is secured to the upper terminal of the switch by a bolt 8 whose head engages the loop "I of the upper contact, and whose screw threaded shank extends through said loop and is screwthreadedly seated in a screwthreaded opening formed in the block portion 3a of the upper terminal.

Extended forwardly from the lower end of the loop I of theupper contact 6 is a pair of spaced contact, portions 9 which are arranged in substantial parallelism, said parallel contact portions merging into convergent contact portions I0 which extend to the forward end of the contact (see Fig. 3). At their forward ends the con- Vergent contact portions III are provided with outwardly bent portions I I from which are extended allel with respect to the related contact port-ions I0, but instead, the space I3 between each contact portion l2 and its related contact portion I 0 is wider at the rear end of said space than at the forward end thereof. The importance of this arrangement will be hereinafter set forth; In order to maintain the spaced contact portions 8 of the upper contact 8 in their proper related positions bands I6 are arranged in embracing relation with respect to said contact portions. Also, a, suitable cap I'l is applied to the outer end portion of the upper contact in embracing relation with respect to parts of the contact portions III and I2, to prevent undue spreading of the contact portions I2.

Associated with the lower terminal 4 is the movable blade I8 of the switch A, which is movable at its upper end into and out of electrical contact with respect to theupper contact 6 so as to establish and interrupt the electrical path through the switch. The blade I8 preferably is formed from a single length of relatively heavy, resilient wire, or suitable resilient rod material, the length of material from which the blade is formed being provided with a vertically disposed loop I8, of inverted U-shaped formation, which is arranged in contact with the forward face of the block portion 4a of the lower terminal 4. The blade I8 is secured to the lower terminal 4 by the bolt-4 which secures said lower terminal to the insulator, the head of said bolt engaging the loop I 9 of said blade I8.f Extended from the lower end of the loop I9 of the blade I8 is a pair of spaced contact portions 20 which, at their outer ends merge into the centers of a pair of spaced coiled portions 2| which are formed in the blade I8. These coiled portions serve to provide the blade of the switch with the resiliency required for the performance of its function, and extended from the outer portions of said coiled portions is a pair of convergent contact portions 22.

The blade I8 includes continuations 23 of the convergent contact portions 22 which are slightly convergent for a portion of their lengths (see Fig. 2) and at their outer ends the contact portions 23 are shaped to provide the blade I8 with a looped outer end portion 24. It is to be noted that space is maintained between the portions 23 of the blade throughout their lengths, and in order to maintain various related portions of the blade I8 in their proper positions suitable bands are employed, there being a band 25 which embraces parts of. the blade portions 22, bands 26, 21, and 28 which embrace parts of the blade portions 23, and a band 29 which embraces the extreme outer end portions of said blade portions 23 at the end of the loop 24, In order to provide for good electrical connection between the lower terminal 4 and the blade I8 so that electrical energy passing from the blade to the lower terminal will not be compelled to pass through the coiled portions of the blade, a conductor 30 is employed. This conductor is clamped at one of its ends between the loop I9 of the blade l8 and the block portion 4a of the lower terminal by the bolt 4, and at its opposite end said conductor is soldered, or otherwise secured, to the band 25 of the blade.

When, in the use of the improved switch, it is desired to move the blade I8 of the switch from its open-switch position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, to its closed-switch position, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1, the finger of a suitable switch stick is introduced into the loop 24 at the outer end of said blade. The outer end portion of the switch blade is then moved upwardly and rearwardly to one or the opposite side of the upper contact, a portion of said switchblade located inwardly of the loop 24 thereof being moved rearwardly and inwardly around the appropriate upper contact portion I4 and knob I5, and being drawn forwardly into the spaces I 3 betweenthe upper contact portions l8 and I2. When the outer end portion of the switch'blade is moved upwardly and rearwardly as described, the coiled portions 2| of the blade are subjected to winding action which tensions said coiled portions and stores up force therein which tends to move the upper end of the switch blade outwardly and downwardly. As a result of tendency of the upper end portion of the switch blade to move outwardly and downwardly in response to force exerted by the tensioned coiled portions 2 I, the portion oi. the switch blade which is disposed in one of the wedge-shaped spaces I3 is forced deep therein. This causes the blade por-V resilient upper contact portions l8 and I2 when the Switchblade is in the closed-switch position. When it is desiredto move the switch blade from the closed-switch position to the openswitch position the loop 24 of the switch blade is engaged by a finger of a switch stick, and the upper end of the switch blade I8 is moved quickly and suddenly to the rear so as to break contact between the switch blade and the upper contact in a manner to avoid arcing between those parts.

The upper portion of the switch blade is then moved about the appropriate upper contact portion I4 and its knob I5 and the blade is lowered outwardly and downwardly to its lowered openswitch position. a a

In order to provide for the making of the best possible electrical contact between the upper contact 6 and the switch blade I8 of the switch A, auxiliary contact elements 3| and'32 may be applied respectively to the upper contact portions I8 and to the switch blade portions 23; as is shown to good advantage in Figs. 4 and 5. The auxiliary contacts 3| and 32 may be formed of silver, or other material which is characterized by being a very good conductor of electricity, said contacts I bein of substantially semicircular cross-sectional shape and being soldered, or otherwise secured, to the portions I 0 of the upper contact and to the portions 23 of the switch blade in partial embracing relation with respect thereto. The auxiliary contacts 3| of the upper contact 6 face the spaces I3 of said upper contact between the portions I0 and I2 thereof, while the auxiliary contacts 32 of the switch blade are mounted on the switch blade portions 23 so as to face outwardly relative thereto. When the switch blade of a switch provided with the auxiliary contacts 3| and 32 is moved into contact engagement with the upper contact of the switch, electrical contact is made at one side of the switch blade by an auxiliary contact 3i associated with a portion III of the upper contact 6 and an auxiliary contact associated with one of the portions 23 of the switch blade. blade electrical contact is made by the auxiliary contact associated with the other of the switch blade portions 23 and a portion I2 of the upper contact of the switch.

one or the. other of At the opposite side of the switch I ciated with one of said spaced terminals, said contact being formed from resilient wire-like vides said switch blade with required increased material and said material of which said contact is formed being so bent and shaped as'to provide the contact with a space between resilient portions of the contact which is closed at its front end'by a portion of the contact located at the forward end of the contact and which is provided with an open rear end facing the rear of the contact, and a switch blade electrically associated with the other of said spaced terminals and movable into electrical contact with said contact, said switch blade being formed from resilient wire-like material and a portion of said switch blade being movable into said space of said contact to make contact with the resilient portions of said contact at opposite sides of said space, said portion of said switch blade which is movable into said space of said contact comprising a pair of spaced resilient parts of said switch blade.

2. An electrical switch comprising an insulating support, spaced terminals supported by said insulating support, a contact electrically associated with one of said spaced terminals, said contact being formed from resilient wire-like material and said material of which said contact is formed being so bent and shaped as to provide the contact with a tapered space between resilient portions of the contact which is closed at its front end by a portion of the contact located at the forward end of the-contact and which is provided with an open rear end facing the rear of the'contact, and a switch. blade electrically associated with the other of said spaced terminals and movable into electrical contact with said contact, said switch blade being formed from resilient wire-like material and a portion of said switch blade being movable into said space of said contact to make contact with the resilient portions of said contact at opposite sides of said space, said portion of said switch blade which is movable into said space of said contact comprising a pair of spaced resilient parts of said switch blade.

3. An electrical switch comprising an insulating support, spaced terminals supported by said insulating support, a contact electrically associated with one of said spaced terminals, said contact being formed from resilient wire-like material and said material of which said contact is formed being so bent and shaped as to provide the contact with a space between resilient portions of the contact which is closed at its front end by a portion of the contact located at the forward end of the contact and which is provided with an open rear end facing the rear of the contact, and a switch blade electrically associated with the other of said spaced terminals and movable into electrical contact with said contact, said Switchblade being formed from resilient wire-like'material and a portion of said switch blade being movable into said space of said contact to make contact with the resilient portions of said contact at opposite sides of said space, said portion of said switch blade which is movable into said space of said contact comprising a pair of spaced resilient,

parts of said switch blade, and said switch blade being provided with a coiled portion which proresiliency.

4. An electrical switch comprising an insulating support, spaced terminals supported by said insulating support, a contact electrically associated with one of said spaced terminals, said 'contact being formed from resilient wire-like material and said material of which said contact is formed being so bent and shaped as to provide the contact with a space between resilient portions of the contact which is closed at its front end by a portion of the contact located at the forward end of the contact and which is provided with an open rear end facing the rear of the contact, and a switch blade electrically associated with the other of said spaced terminals and movable into electrical contact with said contact, said Switchblade being formed from resilient wire-like material and a portion of said switch blade being movable into said space of said contact to make contact with the resilient portions of said contact at opposite sides of said space, said portion ofsaid switch blade which is movable into said space of said contact comprising a pair of spaced resilient parts of said switch blade, said contact and said switch blade being provided with auxiliary contacts which move into contact engagement when the switch blade is moved to the closed-switch position in contact with said contact of the switch.

5. An electrical switch comprising an insulating support, spaced terminals supported by said insulating. support, a contact electrically. associated with one of said spaced terminals, said contact being formed. from resilient wire-like material and said material of which said contact is formed being so bent and shaped as to provide the contact with a space between resilient portions of the contact which is closed at its front end by a portion of the contact located at the forward end of the contact and which is provided with an open rear end facing the rear of the contact, and a switch blade electrically associated with the other of said spaced terminals and movable into electrical contact with said contact, said switch blade being formed from resilient wire-like material and a portion of said switch blade being movable into said space of said contact to make contact with the resilient portions of said contact at opposite REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 860,481 Jackson July 16, 1907 884,775 Swoboda Apr. 14, 1908 1,850,703 Angold Mar. 22, 1932 1,877,986 Schneider Sept. 20, 1932 1,971,392 Carlisle Aug. 28, 1934 2,011,503 Rudd et a1 Aug. 13, 1935 2,179,484

Fox Nov. 14, 1939 

